Our favorite local campground (ACOE Park) has closed due to the government shutdown. We are bummed because the weekend here in N. Texas was to be really nice. Guess we will have to find somewhere else to go.

Just an FYI - This thread could easily go off topic, so please remember that political posts violate the forums rules. So keep it to the discussion of closed parks, but leave the politics out please and thank you. Steve

Our favorite parks in AZ are state run :) I'd like to try a fed park but 32' is the max length:(

Federal dispersed camping should still be open. If you need hookups, there should be some private, state, county and local ones you can check out.

soonernation wrote:Our favorite local campground (ACOE Park) has closed due to the government shutdown. We are bummed because the weekend here in N. Texas was to be really nice. Guess we will have to find somewhere else to go.Are the gates locked? When Natl Parks are closed you can usually drive around the gates. I figure if they are on vacation it is to my advantage. Drive around the gate and camp anywhere. I found this out by accident. When living CA it was always very late that we arrived. Lots of hours driving through traffic. I would drive in and stop over night at first observation area. Then I discovered no big deal stopping over night in those areas. Did it for years and never a park ranger after dark.

My wife and I were talking about this very subject earlier today. We've never camped in a Federal or National park before, so not sure how it all works. But assuming someone has a reservation and paid in advance, are they just SOL right now? Hopefully the OP has not paid for a reservation, and was just planning on dropping in (first come, first serve).????

Impacted By the Shutdown | Good Sam Community

fly-boy
Explorer
Oct 09, 2013
The shut down is the best thing that could have happened to the National Forest(s) for those that like solitude.

Not a soul at the campgrounds but you have to be willing to hike in- Can't wait for the rifle season opener this weekend- especially because a lot of folks will skip it with campground gates locked!
Lowsuv
Explorer
Oct 05, 2013
For us the original reason to buy the trailer was to be " self-contained "
This is an opportunity to do a little " dispersed camping " .
Once we got set up for it we avoid hook-ups as much as possible .
nevadanick
Explorer
Oct 04, 2013
Event permits issued by blm are no good during the shutdown, thats why no race. Enduro in NorCal already cancelled and races here in jeapordy. Open riding isnt affected.
64thunderbolt
Explorer II
Oct 04, 2013
dispersed camping is everywhere.
thinkpt
Explorer
Oct 04, 2013
nayther wrote:
We have a race on BLM land 10.13.13 that WILL NOT be held if this is not resolved by then. A lot of people have spent a lot of time laying out a course and it will be a shame if it doesn't get raced on. And this is a National Hare & Hound, pays National AMA points.

See even the "open desert" is not "open" sometimes.

Not planning to race in Johnson Valley, though it does sound fun, but ride a bit there, is it just closed due to the size of the event, cause I cant see how they could keep me out of Johnson Valley, I dont remember any gates or anything where we camp and wouldnt hesitate to go that weekend if already planned. Hope for you guys it does open up though, would hate to lose National points and all the hard work that went on to stage the event. Good luck.
Ric_Flair
Explorer
Oct 03, 2013
soonernation wrote:
Ric Flair wrote:
What about a state park. We have some really nice ones in Texas.

We went to Tyler state park last weekend. We stay at this one particular park at the lake most weekends when we don't go to one of the state parks. My wife has to work on Saturdays so it allows us to "camp" and she can still go to work.

We have found some other places to check out.

Tyler State Park is nice
soonernation
Explorer
Oct 02, 2013
Ric Flair wrote:
What about a state park. We have some really nice ones in Texas.

We went to Tyler state park last weekend. We stay at this one particular park at the lake most weekends when we don't go to one of the state parks. My wife has to work on Saturdays so it allows us to "camp" and she can still go to work.

We have found some other places to check out.
nayther
Explorer
Oct 02, 2013
We have a race on BLM land 10.13.13 that WILL NOT be held if this is not resolved by then. A lot of people have spent a lot of time laying out a course and it will be a shame if it doesn't get raced on. And this is a National Hare & Hound, pays National AMA points.

See even the "open desert" is not "open" sometimes.
Ric_Flair
Explorer
Oct 02, 2013
What about a state park. We have some really nice ones in Texas.
soonernation
Explorer
Oct 02, 2013
This particular COE park is closed. The park ranger verified today that the gates to the park will be locked and no one will be there until this is resolved.

We paid in full already so I'm hoping I'll be able to get a refund. We were told to go to the reserve America website for a refund but the site was down due to the govt shutdown.

We found another city owned park not too far from this location to spend the weekend.

My out of town reservations coming up are all at state parks so I'm covered on that front.

I'm just glad I'm not one of the people I'm reading about that had reservations at any of the major national parks only to be told they are not allowed in.